We Have a Winnah! Disney Trivia Final

At the time of this posting, I'm likely to be enjoying my first sights of Disney on my trip. I'll be at the Magic Kingdom first, so please enjoy this totally amazing video a friend sent to me:



Correct me if I'm wrong, but that shit is amazing. This was a video done by Disney to celebrate the Magic Kingdom's birthday (on October 1st).

The real business of today is to announce the winner of my trivia contest. For each day of my countdown, I tossed out a trivia question. I asked my readers to e-mail me answers if they knew them, and I had a pretty good turnout overall. The final tally will be available on my website on the Contests Page.

I'm proud to announce my cousin, Abbey, as the winner. With 3 days left, she had more points than anyone else could possibly gain based on her number of correct answers.

She has requested a pin with a "Goofy" theme, and it will now be my mission to find this pin. I have no idea if there will be one of those, but you can bet I'll search. She's pictured above as a kid wearing her Goofy Hat and hanging out with the dog himself.

Here are the answers to the 31 Disney Trivia questions I've set forth over the last month.

30 Days: (Magic of Disney)
QUESTION: What was the price of 1 Adult Admission ticket at the time of Walt Disney World's Grand Opening in October 1971.
ANSWER: $3.50. That was only for park admission only. Rides were more.

29 Days: (Music in the Parks)
QUESTION: Why is the height of many buildings inside the parks at Disney World only 199 ft high?
ANSWER: In Florida, any structure 200 ft or higher requires a red light on top for overflying aircraft. Disney avoids this whenever possible due to aesthetic reasons.

28 Days: (Turkey Legs)
Question: Approximately how many of these Giant Turkey Legs are eaten every year at Walt Disney World?
ANSWER: 1.4 Million of those fuckers.

27 Days : (Carousel of Progress)
Question: The Earful Tower, Hollywood Studios water tower landmark wears a Mickey Ears Hat. What's the Hat Size?
ANSWER: 342 3/4ths

26 Days: (Spaceship Earth)
Question: The Fountain at Innoventions Plaza in Epcot can shoot water 150 ft in the air (only 30 feet lower than the top of Spaceship Earth. If all of the water cannons were fired at once, how much water would be in the air?
ANSWER: 2000 Gallons at once!

25 Days: (The Views)
Question: How many stones and bricks were used in the Building of Cinderella's Castle?
ANSWER: NONE. They used almost all fiberglass over concrete framing to simulate the look of concrete.

24 Days: (The Great Movie Ride)
Question: Walt Disney World houses the World's largest sand-bottom pool at 750,000 gallons of water. Where is it, and what is it called?
ANSWER: Stormalong Bay at The Beach Club Resort

23 Days: (Customer Service)
Question: On average, how many pairs of Sunglasses are turned into the Lost and Found every day at Walt Disney World?
ANSWER: 210 Pairs. (I have no idea why they keep this statistic.)

22 Days: (Costumed Characters)
Question: What is the name of the singing, animated parrot over the entrance of Pirates of the Caribbean?
ANSWER: Peglegged Pete

21 Days: (American Idol Experience)
Question: Fantasmic Theater at Hollywood Studios seats how many guests?
ANSWER: 6900 Guests.

20 Days: (Splash Mountain)
Question: How tall is the Summit Plummet Water Slide at Blizzard Beach?
ANSWER: 120 ft, or 12 stories.

19 Days: (Ponchos)
Question: What Magic Kingdom attraction was the first to be run by computer?
ANSWER: Space Mountain

18 Days: (World Showcase)
Question: What is vomit called at Disney World?
ANSWER: Protein Spill

17 Days: (It's Tough to be a Bug)
Question: How many triangles make up the Geodesic sphere that is Spaceship Earth?
ANSWER: 11,324

16 Days: (Celebrity Guests)
Question: Who plays Dr. Grant Seeker on Dinosaur!?
ANSWER: Wallace Langham

15 Days: (Kids Falling Down)
Question: In Spaceship Earth, the character in the "Greek Play" scene is delivering lines from what play?
ANSWER: Oedipus Rex

14 Days: (Big Thunder Mountain)
Question: Name the 5 Mountains of Walt Disney World, and place them in order according to height, tallest to shortest.
ANSWER: Forbidden Mountain (Expedition Everest), Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Mt. Gushmore, and Splash Mountain

13 Days: (Tomorrowland Transit Authority)
Question: What is the name of the robotic lounge singer in Tomorrowland's Cosmic Rays restaurant?
ANSWER: Sonny Eclipse

12 Days: (Holidays at Disney)
Question: In order to play Sulley from Monsters Inc. in the parks, what is the height range a person must fall within?
ANSWER: 6'2" to 6'4"

11 Days: (it's a small world)
Question: Only one nations name is actually spelled out in "it's a small world". What country is it?
ANSWER: "MEXICO". It's on a sombrero on the right. Seriously.

10 Days: (The Rainforest Cafe)
Question: The gift shop at the exit of Star Tours is currently called ____?
ANSWER: Tatooine Traders

9 Days: (Monsters Inc Laugh Floor)
Question: What is the highest rank you can attain on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin?
ANSWER: Galactic Hero

8 Days: (Mickey's Philharmagic)
Question: What is Donald's Boat in Toontown called?
ANSWER: The Miss Daisy

7 Days: (Expedition Everest)
Question: What is the name of the mountain you're riding on in Expedition Everest?
ANSWER: The Forbidden Mountain

6 Days pt 1: (Kilimanjaro Safari)
Question: Approximately how many branches does the Tree of Life have (I'll accept a round number)
ANSWER: 8000 is the general answer I would have accepted. My cousin Abbey got crazy specific on it though.

6 Days pt 2: (Haunted Mansion)
Question: Who is the voice of the "Ghost Host" in the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World?
ANSWER: Paul Frees

5 Days: (Journey Into Imagination)
Question: What company has sponsored Journey Into Imagination since it's inception?
ANSWER: Kodak. They've actually sponsored the entire pavilion.

4 Days: (Hidden Mickeys)
Question: What other character's face is viewable by satellite image of Hollywood Studios?
ANSWER: Pluto's face is visible in the courtyard area outside the main entrance.

3 Days: (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Question: Of the 126 Animatronic Figures in Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World, how many are pirates?
ANSWER: There are 69 Animatronic pirates on the ride.

2 Days: (Pin Trading)
Question: What is the name of the Sea Serpent made of legos in Downtown Disney?
ANSWER: Brickley

1 Day: (Soarin')
Question: How many different scents can you sniff (aside from the ones made by your co-riders) as you ride Soarin' and what are they?
ANSWER: 4. (Orange blossoms, Sagebrush, Ocean, and evergreen)

Thank you all for participating.

1 Day to Disney: I can see my house from here!

Well folks... We've done it. We've made it to the end of the Disney Countdown, you and me. It's been a crazy ride, has it not?

Not so fast, though... There's still one final Disney thing to talk about before we but this bitch to bed.

It's interesting to me that the top item on the whole shebang this time around is a ride that had just opened right before I wrote the first countdown in 05, and I didn't know a single thing about it. THAT'S how much I've been blown away by Soarin' at Epcot. To make that kind of impression on me in that short amount of time is pretty amazing to me.

I am hesitant to talk too much in specifics about the ride itself, because there's no way to do it justice. It sounds so...regular. I think that's theme of this year's countdown... Disney has mastered making things that sound completely simple and unimpressive become so amazing based on two very specific goals they seek out to attain every time.

1) The difference is in the details. Soarin' is basically a flight simulator. There are simulators all over the place at dozens of amusement parks around the world. Disney has taken this "regular" thing and made it so specific and detailed in every facet, from the entry area to the waiting queue (with Patrick the Flight Attendant) to the scents and breezes you smell and feel as you "Soar". It's simple, but amazingly elegant because of the detail.

2) They execute it perfectly. Aside from the detail of the experience, the efficiency each individual aspect of the ride makes the experience go so smoothly that it sets it apart from any other experience of it's type. The mechanics of the ride vehicle are one of a kind. The movement is crisp and seamless. The loading and operations are hitch-free. If you think you'd get that same level of elegance at Universal or Pidgeon Forge or whatever else then you've not been reading this whole time.

When I first rode Soarin' in 2005 I was blown away. It went by so quickly that I had barely enough time to process it. I rushed back around and rode it again right away. It was mid December, so the crowds were light. Then I got a fast pass and rode it again later that day. It's just beautifully done from start to finish. It's the first ride I want to go on every time I visit Disney.

So... with that, I bring my countdown to an end. This time tomorrow I'll be on a 737-800 flying down to Disney World and an amazing vacation with the Tofu Muchacha, who has had to deal with my insane Disney obsession first hand, and doesn't have the option of simply not reading the blog for a couple of days to take a break.

Thanks for reading along with me. I can't wait to tell you all about the trip next week.

And now... The Last Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Trivia: How many different scents can you sniff (aside from the ones made by your co-riders) as you ride Soarin' and what are they?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Answering Cut-off will be at 9:00 PM tonight, and the Contest Wrap-Up Blog will be posted tomorrow, with the winner announced and all of the answers posted.

2 Days to Disney: Do you have that in "Villain"?

Way back over Christmas in the year 2000, my family spent the holiday at Disney World. It was an overall fantastic trip. I loved pretty much everything about it. The weather was great. I was feeling good. The parks were amazingly decorated. It was awesome. The only shitty thing was how insanely crowded the whole place was.

Probably the most lasting experience from the trip, however, was my discovery of what would eventually become my one true obsession... Disney Lapel Pins.

I know it's confusing to those people who aren't giant Disney fans, but Disney has created a huge number (like in the tens of thousands) of Enameled Lapel Pins, and those bitches are like crack.

The beauty of them, or the evil, depending on where you're coming from is several-fold:

1) They are inexpensive individually. It seems like you're getting off light when you buy 2 pins. They're 8.95 apiece. Not bad for a Disney souvenir. Of course, due to the aforementioned "cracklikeness" of them, it's hard to buy just one or two or ten or twenty. So... they get their money in the end. Don't you worry.

2) They make them for every park, every attraction, every movie, every character. Everything under the Sun. They have an unlimited field of subject matter from which to cull their nifty little trinkets.

3) Because they are so varied, they can basically appeal to just about anyone. Only like Goofy? That's alright, because there are literally thousands of Goofy Pins out there and available. Not just in the parks, but on eBay and to be traded and everything.

4) They are small and easily ported. On my last trip in February I bought... several. and they basically fit in a small bag that I could put in my backpack. They don't even seem to notice them at security at the airport, which is odd since there's enough pointy little barbs in that bag to give the world tetanus.

You see... I'm a magpie. In my life I've collected several things. Autographed baseballs, antique maps, Disney Snowglobes... These are all pricey and large and difficult to amass discreetly. Take one look at the shelves in my bedroom, and you'll see 18 GIANT-ASS SNOWGLOBES. It's cumbersome to say the least. So the pins appeal to me on many levels.

I have several active Pin quests going usually. I'm always on the lookout for good Captain Hook pins. In fact, this may be a bold statement, but I believe I may have the most extensive Captain Hook pin collection anywhere in the world. I know I have several Hook limited edition pins with very small edition sizes.

I also collect Expedition Everest pins and Figment... And Soarin. And a few others.

I've ranked this so high on my list because Disney basically found a way to cater to my 2 favorite things.... Disney and Obsessive Hoarding. Disney has even been so kind as to place kiosks and full-blown shops selling pins and pins alone about ever 40 feet on property. They require cast members to wear pins, and to trade them (without the luxury of haggling) to anyone who wants to trade. It's the best.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What is the name of the Sea Serpent made of legos in Downtown Disney?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

3 Days to Disney: Pirates are Popular

Look familiar you fucking bandwagoners?
I don't know if you've heard of it, but there's actually a movie based on a ride at Disney World.

It's called "Pirates of the Caribbean" and apparently it was quite a popular flick. It even starred well known actors like Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.

I KNOW!! It shocked me too. When I found out about it, I placed it at the very tippy-top of my Netflix queue. Not only that, but in my search, I discovered that there are 2.... TWO!! sequels. Crazy right?

In all seriousness, everyone knows this ride. They probably know what it's all about. They've probably ridden it. It's possibly the most popular ride in all of Disneydom. And let me just say... it makes it hard to be a hardcore fan of this ride, because I was the guy that got every *wink wink* to the ride that appeared in the movie. I was the guy that laughed at the guy in the pig-pen when everyone else in the theater was all "When's Bloom getting back on screen?"

They're all fucking late to the party, and it just makes me irritated that suddenly, because of one movie (an admittedly effing sweet movie) it's everyone's favorite ride.

I will also say that I do really like the additions they made to the rides to incorporate the movie characters. Jack Sparrow is an excellent creation, and one that Walt would have been proud of, so I have no issue with it. I especially like the addition of Davy Jones, whose face appears in the mist as you enter the ride. It's awesome.

I can't really cover new ground here, because everyone knows all about it, so I'll just say that the ride is just as awesome as the movie, and has been since 1973. The animatronics are cool. The storyline is funny. The pirates are waaaaay more risque than almost anything else in all of Disney's realm (especially after they got rid of Alien Encounter).

It's one on of the best things Disney's done to integrate their live-action movies with the parks in years, and it made pirates even cooler than they already were.

Also, it's the ONLY ride I've ever risked missing a plane to ride. On one of my trips, I'd missed riding it because it was pouring rain the day I went to Magic Kingdom and the ride had a 4 hour wait or something like that, because most of the queue is covered. Well... I went back the day of my flight just to ride that one thing. Totally worth it.

Plus... I want to be a pirate.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: Of the 126 Animatronic Figures in Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World, how many are pirates?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

4 Days to Disney: Where's Mickey?

I feel like today's topic, Hidden Mickeys, is something I barely knew about concretely when I did my last Countdown to Disney back in the Fall of 2005. I feel like I recall writing about it, but from a completely theoretical viewpoint, as I'd never been on a Hidden Mickey search, and while I loved the idea of it I'd heard about them between trips and had never experienced them first hand.

Let me briefly explain what a Hidden Mickey is... Basically the imagineers at Disney have made a habit of hiding the image of Mickey Mouse into the backgrounds of rides and walkways and theme parks. It's usually the circular mickey icon (there's one hidden on my blog). The beauty is that these are essentially a signature of the artist. They are not official. They are not cataloged. They are not kept up... They're just there. Some disappear over the years or wear away. I think they're beautiful.

I recall talking about the giant, satellite image view of MGM...how it once was so clearly the face of Mickey and just thinking that was awesome. I still think it's awesome, and honestly with all of the changes and adjustments in the park itself, it has gone from being the greatest Hidden Mickey to being the greatest example of how they're fleeting in some cases. Here's what it looked like 10 years ago, clear as a bell:

Don't get me wrong.. some will be there forever, like this one at the Polynesian:I love this one.

Some of them could go away any day with just the swipe of one careless child, like this one from Mama Melrose's Italian Ristorante in Hollywood Studios:
Some are part of the decor, like this one in Morocco:

And some are more whimsically hidden away, like the viking on the ship with Mickey ears:

Basically, I love them because they're a reward to the people who are paying attention. They're like sharing a secret with the creators (and all of the other people who've bought the books.

Each of those pictures were taken during that 2005 trip. I've got dozens more. I plan on making a concerted effort to take photos of as many as possible on this trip. If I get some cool ones, I'll post about them afterward.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What other character's face is viewable by satellite image of Hollywood Studios?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

5 Days to Disney: A Magical Journey Indeed

I have no idea why, but Figment has also become the mascot of a few Gay Pride Weekends at Disney World. Seriously. (that's true, by the way).

Of all of the ridiculously nostalgic, overly sentimental choices I've made on this blog-down, this one is so far ahead of all of the others, it really should be called "getting Figmented" when I romanticize something to this degree.

Throughout this experience I've come thisclose to putting "Journey into Imagination" up at least 5 times. The reason I haven't is that really... it's kind of a dumb ride. It's slightly better than El Rio del Tiempo (a ride that I've somehow missed discussing entirely, but could easily have dropped in somewhere along the way for exactly the same reason.) The past version of this ride, when it featured the Dreamfinder, primarily, was incredibly popular. The storyline was that the Dreamfinder created this purple dragon (Figment) and they traveled through places where "imagination" was used. This was the the ride that I knew and loved as a kid. In 1998 Disney changed things up, wholly removing Figment from the ride and basically pissing everyone off in the process.

Disney fans are a fairly vocal group, and they've raised ruckuses before. They went NUTS when Mr. Toad closed. This, however, may be the only time the fans were heeded. It took 4 years, but in 2002, Disney brought back Figment and re-incorporated him into the ride. It's not as good as it once was, though it still features a the song by the Sherman Brothers "One Little Spark", which is pretty fantastic. Still...the ride holds a dear place in my heart, and I effing LOVE Figment. He's hilarious.

So basically I went to write about this ride half a dozen times, but it's not that good, and there's not much to say about it, so I kept putting it off... then I realized about 3 or 4 days ago that it's so much a part of my ultimate Disney experience that not only could I not leave it off, but that it deserved a spot in my Top 7.

It's easily the least attended ride on the list (aside from the People Mover and Carousel of Progress.) I don't know if I've EVER waited more than 5 minutes to ride it. This actually adds to the specialness for me, because it's a guaranteed time-killer and air conditioning surge. It's great.

Basically this ride is so special to me for 1 reason...

It was one of the first rides I rode at Epcot and while it seemed a little "kiddie" even then, there was a charm about it. It also so much embodies all of the beauty of Epcot. Or at the time "E.P.C.O.T." It's a ride about innovation, and imagination, and creativity. It's got a catchy tune and a beloved character. It was probably dated the moment it rolled off, but for some reason it's always captured the... ehem... imagination of the audiences. It's not as good as it once was, but I never feel more permitted to be silly than on that ride. I love it.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What company has sponsored Journey Into Imagination since it's inception?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

6 Days to Disney pt 2: The Should Make a Movie

I've had an uncommonly difficult time (for me) coming up with exactly how to write about The Haunted Mansion at Disney World.

The Haunted Mansion is undeniably one of the most iconic and beloved attractions in Disney history. There are versions of it in Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Tokyo and was one of the original E-Ticket rides at Walt Disney World.

It's inspired the most in-depth study in minutia in all of my experiences with Disney, DoomBuggies.com, an entire website dedicated to each and every in and out of the Haunted Mansion, both at Disneyland and Disney World. It's an incredible site. The founders of it also have off-shot into doing TellNoTales.com and Mousetalgia.com, but DoomBuggies is the best.

What makes The Haunted Mansion so special? It combines most of the hallmarks of creativity and imagination that Disney is famous for...

The architecture of each individual Haunted Mansion is different, but appropriate for the area in the Magic Kingdom each is located. The original in Disneyland is fashioned like an old plantation house nestled in the New Orleans square "land". The one in Disney World is designed to fit into the colonial New England setting of the surrounding "Liberty Square".

The details of the ride are insane. From beginning to end, it's one of the most immersive experiences in the park. The ride workers are all dressed as serving staff for the mansion. Their demeanors and their dialogue is letter perfect. I have often dreamed about being the employee based in the "loading area" where everyone walks into the room with no doors and the "servant" says "Please go to the dead center of the room." It's funny every time.

One of the strokes of genius in this ride is the loading system. The attendant takes a set number of people at a time into the room where there is a short scene where the room "stretches" in a pretty incredible effect. At the right moment, the secret door opens and people are ushered into the ride loading area with the moving walkway and into the "Doom Buggies", the special ride vehicles designed by Disney Imagineers. It's all timed perfectly so that the line is always moving and the waits never seem long.

The effects on the ride are also great. There are so many, it would be difficult list them, so I'll just refer you again to DoomBuggies.com and just mention a couple...

The busts in the library that turn and follow you. You think this is simple, that they're just on a pivot, until you realize that each person has the same experience and the things can't face each way at once. Turns out they made the busts in relief, so in fact they are concave. This creates the same illusion of depth, but allows it to seem like the faces are turning.

The face of Madam Leota in crystal ball. It's now a hologram, which makes it even cooler, but it's another that is basically a 3D projection.

I could go on all day about The Haunted Mansion... The music "Grim Grinning Ghosts" features the voice of Thurl Ravencroft, who also famously voiced Tony the Tiger. The dancing ghosts scene in the ball room is great (and done in reflection). It's funny, and a little (tiny) bit scary, and really really cool. The wait is rarely long because of the loading system, and it's a legend. There's really nothing more to say. It's among the first things I think about when I think about Disney World. Can't miss it. Usually ride at least twice.

And now... The (2nd) Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: Who is the voice of the "Ghost Host" in the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

6 Days to Disney pt. 1: Goin on Safari

I don't see how I'd ever be able to write a blog about the best things at Disney and not talk at least a little about the single largest attraction in all of The World..

Animal Kingdom's Kilimanjaro Safari.

Before Expedition Everest gave Animal Kingdom a true thrill ride that would appeal to teens, Animal Kindom had very little to draw the masses. It was mostly a park full of simpler wonders, and simpler attractions like It's Tough to be a Bug and the better-than-I-expected "Flights of Wonder" show. In fact, there were really only 2 A-Level attractions, Countdown to Extinction (now called Dinosaur! after the movie came out in 2000) and Kilimanjaro Safari.

I've always felt that the Safari was one of the most amazing attractions I've ever experienced. It's the only thing at Disney that's so cool on it's own merits that the theming and the storyline almost detract.

The premise is that you've transported yourself (by way of a looooonnnngg queue line) to Africa and you're making your way across the Serengeti on a Safari. This is the most amazing part. The attraction area is over 100 acres all on it's own. To give you an idea of scale, the Cincinnati Zoo is 67 Acres. The Magic Kingdom would fit completely inside the grounds. The attraction is full of animals given a huge amount of land to roam, seemingly free. There are barriers... you know.. to keep the lions away from the zebras, but you can't see them. The ride vehicles are re-claimed buses, outfitted like safari trucks, driven (free reined) by guides. The trucks can stop, speed up, go around (to a small degree) depending on what the animals are doing.

Some would say this is essentially just a souped up, Africa-centric zoo. And that's probably the case, except that people from places like Cincinnati are jaded against other zoos, because ours is so good. It may be a zoo, but it's a GREAT zoo. You see animals doing things that they normally don't in zoos...things they can only do because the area they have here is so large. To quote Walt from his iconic TV show announcing plans to build Disney World:

"Here in Florida, we have something special we never enjoyed at Disneyland... the blessing of size. There's enough land here to hold all the ideas and plans that we can possibly imagine."

That's the thing that makes Kilimanjaro Safari so special. Of the parks, Animal Kingdom has most taken advantage of the expanse of land. The Safari most of all the attractions. It's a beautiful, exciting display of nature, and is the best example of one of the founding goals of Disney World.

The only thing I'd change about the ride, and I've said this multiple times, is that I'd remove the silly "Little Red" storyline. I think there was some concern at the beginning that audiences wouldn't enjoy just a simple zoo/safari attraction without the Disneyfied storyline, and they had just turned out to be wrong (which is rare). The premise is that there are poachers in the protected safari land, and they've captured Little Red, the baby elephant. We somehow save Little Red over the course of the ride, but it's silly and unnecessary. I'd remove it altogether, and they have definitely cut back on it's emphasis over the years, but even a little is too much on an otherwise perfect attraction.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: Approximately how many branches does the Tree of Life have (I'll accept a round number)?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

7 Days to Disney: Ain't No Mountain High Enough

I've mentioned several times how big of a pansy I am.

It takes a pretty effing sweet roller coaster, and likely the Disney tag attached to get me to ride anything more intense than something like Big Thunder... Well, there are 2 roller coasters that actual roller coaster people seem to like that I also like and am not terrified to ride.

One of them is the Rock n' Roller Coaster at the Studios. The other makes it on to the countdown here, a week before the trip.

Expedition Everest.

That fucking ride is spectacular. I'll admit that it terrifies me every time, but it doesn't matter. Last time I was there it was the only ride at The Animal Kingdom I rode twice (that single rider line is effing fantastic.) I like every facet of it. Lemme break it down for ya.

The Theme: I mean... they spared no expense at all. It's pretty incredible down to every tiny detail. There's a courtyard in the queue area that looks JUST like a Buddhist shrine. There are those coins and the statues and all kinds of crazy things. Emmm... Not that Buddhism is crazy... moving on. The visual magnitude of the ride is incredible. The mountain is amazing looking. The ride cars are cool. The music is neat. I love it. They won me over. Getting a self-professed Roller Coaster Pussy to throw caution to the wind just out of the curiosity of seeing what all they did with the theme...that's tough to do.

The Technology: The Yeti, I believe, is still the largest and most advanced animatronic figure in the world. That's pretty much all I need to say. But also the ride seamlessly goes both backward and forward. There are sweet projections. It's amazing.

The Ride Itself: The ride itself is incredibly smooth and fun. The hill is the only thing that really psyches me out about coasters, but they really mask the intimidatingness by adding those themed elements. The big drop comes out of nowhere and isn't really projected beforehand, so there's no time to get worked up. It's awesome.

There's nothing else for me to say. If i actually liked coasters, this is easily in my Top 5, but it's not, because I don't. Can you tell?

Oh... small side note... You're not actually on Mt. Everest on the ride, despite the name and the misconception... See the trivia question for more details.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What is the name of the mountain you're riding on in Expedition Everest?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

8 Days to Disney: Makes me all emotional. Like a baby kitten.

So, I think we've probably got it pretty well established that I am an emotional mess when it comes to some thing Disney related. I like to cry a little. I like going to Disney and tapping in to every weird little nostalgic tidbit I can.

I've realized that so much of why I'm so in love with that place, is that I love to revisit past great times just as much as I love to experience new great times. Well... if there's a single attraction in all of the parks that, for whatever reason, gets me more than almost any other is Mickey's Philharmagic.

Much like the Monsters Inc thing from yesterday, the concept of this attraction is pretty simple.

We're in a giant concert hall, there for a symphony concert conducted by Mickey Mouse and his enchanted instruments. Donald Duck steals Mickey's sorcerer hat and the instruments revolt and hide in all of these past Disney animated films. Oh...and it's in 3-D.

The thing that makes it amazing is the execution. It's easily the best 3-D I've ever seen, in terms of the huge number of layers and the details. It's fantastic. They also incorporate Donald and the instruments into the famous scenes from these movies seamlessly. He's on the Magic Carpet with Aladdin and Jasmine in "A Whole New World". He flies around Big Ben with the kids in Peter Pan. He enjoys Belle's feast in Beauty and the Beast. It's truly a beautifully executed film. The music is moving. It has a great, simple storyline that is crammed into about a 10 minute thing. It's funny, heartfelt, and the music is incredible and familiar.

When I went back to Disney for the first time in almost 5 years in January of 2005 and I experienced this for the first time, I think I said how incredible I thought it was. I've now seen it 5 more times or so, and without question it's one of the best things at The Magic Kingdom.

The only negative thing I can say about it is that while I've never really waited more than 10 minutes for it (fast pass is our friend, people, never forget it) the queue line is a little stuffy for my taste. As in the ventilation always seems a little bad. The wait seems longer than it is. There's not much to look at.

That's a very minor quibble in what is otherwise an A+ attraction. Something that every kid will love. Something that inspires the most nostalgic feelings of my youth in me.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What is Donald's Boat in Toontown called?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

9 Days to Disney: Everybody has a Laughing Place

These days, in this time of economic tightwaddedness (that's a real word, I swear), even Disney World has been hit. In the last few years, Disney hasn't really added a ton of big attractions at the parks. Part of it has to do with a lack of space within the already existing parks, but even moreso it has to do with the development costs of a ride like Expedition Everest. There just isn't going to be enough of an influx of new visitors with the way the economy is to justify the expense.

This is not to say that Disney has been complacent. They've added a bunch of new smaller attractions. D-Ticket attractions, if you will. Among them you've got one of my new favorites.

The Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor.

I'd actually place it higher on my list, considering how much I enjoyed it the one time I experienced it, but I don't know how well it'll stand up over the course of repeated visits, so I'm keeping it out of the top 5.

The concept is pretty simple. Monsters no longer scare people for energy, they make them laugh, so they've brought us humans to the factory for their daily stand-up show to collect our laughs for their power plant.

The execution of this is what totally makes this thing something amazing. I have NO idea of how they do most of it, and it makes the whole thing far more fascinating to me than it probably would be otherwise.

First, it's all on these super high-def screens with the animated characters. The amazing thing is that they have the animated characters interacting deeply with the audience. I don't find it amazing that the characters themselves interact, because that's easily explained, but the animation also corresponds to the interaction, totally seemlessly.

It's really, really cool, and I am definitely going to be check this out again to see how different thing thing is from show to show. I'm sure there are a lot of things that are repetitive, but I don't know how they'd do some of it without some really cool special effect technology.

It impresses me is what I'm saying. I'm hoping that it re-captures the magic of my first experience, because I've built it up pretty high in my head, and it made me laugh a whole lot.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What is the highest rank you can attain on Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

NOTE: The title of this post is from Song of the South, the Disney film that inspired Splash Mountain

10 Days to Disney: Conservation at its Finest

(NOTE: This picture has very little to do with today's topic, but I'd looked for it 2 weeks ago when I wrote about the Turkey Legs and wasn't able to find it. I labeled it "Guido Turkey Legs" in my files. Just felt like now was as good a time as any to post it.)

Oh. My. God. I'm into the final 10 days. The excitement is almost too much to bear at this point.

I've gone to Disney by myself 3 times.

I know that sounds kind of pathetic, but I just wanted to go real bad, and I didn't want to coordinate with anyone else.

Anyway... the only thing that sucks about going alone is eating alone. It's not that I am embarrassed or anything, but damn is it boring. I think I almost memorized the hidden mickey's book the last time I went.

My favorite place to go to eat when I go alone is also one of my favorite places with other people. It's easily my favorite chain restaurant in all the world... It's The Rainforest Cafe.

There are 3 reasons I love it so much, especially when I go alone.

1) The atmosphere is lively and entertaining, which isn't always what I look for in my restaurants, but it keeps things interesting when you don't have conversation to rely upon.

2) It's one of the few restaurants in WDW that has a bar with a TV. Usually tuned to sports programming. In fact, I distinctly recall watching the Steelers vs. Jets Overtime playoff game from one of those fancy bar stools at The Downtown Disney location.

3) The food is better than most other chain places, and it's expensive but not insanely priced.

I think a good bit of my love of The Rainforest Cafe has to do with my nostalgia of Vacations Past as well... I remember going to The Rainforest twice in the Summer of 1998 and having Dee Anne and I discover the joys of the China Island Chicken Salad, which I maintain is the best big salad dish I've ever eaten.

I'll admit that the Rainforest loses points with me on my countdown for 2 reasons...

1) It's not unique to Disney. There are about 15 locations, nation-wide. I've been to the one in Chicago and Las Vegas. My cousin Abbey has been to the one in San Antonio. I hate to say it, but a chain, no matter how good it is, is still a chain.

2) After my surgery, I've struggled a bit to find things that I can comfortably eat. Most of the items are just too big to finish, and as many of you who know me know... I don't like leftovers in the comfort of my own home. I definitely don't like them during vacation. Just seems like a waste.

Still... I'll always be grateful to The Rainforest Cafe for keeping me company and providing me yummy delights during what would have otherwise been lonely, boring meals.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: The gift shop at the exit of Star Tours is currently called ____?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

12 Days to Disney: It's That Time of Year

There are 12 Days left of this Epic Blog Countdown. When I wrote "12 Days to Disney" the first thing I thought of was the Twelve Days of Christmas song that makes people insane every year, but then I thought to myself:

"Hey... Holidays at Disney World are AWESOME! I should write a blog about that!"

So here I am.

I'm not an overly religious person (or a religious person at all for that matter), but even I get into the holiday spirit from time to time, and I'll readily admit that it's difficult to ignore how beautiful the whole experience is when Disney does it.

They really go all out... There are trees in every park (non-denominational, of course) and buntings and lights everywhere. Things are "Winterized" and it's just super pretty. There's the Osborne Family (no... not THAT Osborne family) Holiday light display, which was basically inspired by some crazy dude in Arkansas decking his house with so many lights that it was visible from space or something.

The Grand Floridian has a giant gingerbread house. Most of the hotels have holiday themed decor set-up.

The characters are all dressed like Dickens characters. It's totally awesome.

Even the opening show is all Holidayed up... There's the opening show at Magic Kingdom with the train and Mickey welcoming all of the guests, and there are giant snowflakes and whatever else.

The last time I was there Mickey shouted "Happy Holidays Everybody!" and some crazy person shouted back "You mean Merry Christmas!!" and I swear Mickey nearly backhanded him....

That's a pet peeve of mine, by the way...the whole "They're stealing the holidays from Jesus" bullshit. For another blog.

In any case, I'm all for getting into the Non-denominational Holiday spirit, and nobody does it better, or prettier than Disney.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: In order to play Sulley from Monsters Inc. in the parks, what is the height range a person must fall within?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

13 Days to Disney: Paging Mr. Morrow. Mr. Tom Morrow

My step-mom, Dee Anne, is a big reason why I loved Disney right from the start. Like I was back then, she's not really a ride rider. She's always content to check out the Coca Cola Club Cool or Innoventions. She'd rather (100 times out of 100) enjoy the Carousel of Progress as opposed to going on Space Mountain. You get the picture...

Well, as a kid, I'd often opt to keep her company going into and out of the shops in the Studios instead of going on Tower of Terror. I would hang out with her and go on Spaceship Earth (about her speed) as opposed to Test Track. I love Test Track and Space Mountain, but I don't NEED to ride them, and it's fun to keep her company.

In a way, the enjoyment she'd get out of these slower paced things (and even things like grabbing some old timey popping corn and people watching) made me really notice a lot of the things about Disney that I've come to love the most. The details. The music. You get the idea.

Well, my favorite time spender with Dee Anne is riding the T.T.A. (The Tomorrowland Transit Authority)...affectionately known as The People Mover. It's just this silly little train type thing that glides through Tomorrowland on a magnetic track and sneaks through different attractions and is, most importantly cool and breezy. Topping out at about 5 miles per hour, it's just the right speed for enjoying some Diet Coke and killing time while waiting for the braver people in the party to finish riding Space Mountain.

I remember on the last family trip there in June of 06, Dee Anne didn't want to ride Space Mountain (as if that had even been a possibility), and I'd just ridden it the last time I was there in December of 05 (like I said... the hour long wait usually dissuades me from riding it on every trip). So she and I decided to go on the Carousel of Progress, with it's usual 5 minute wait. Once that was done, Dad and Briana still had 40 minutes to go, and the storm clouds were rolling in, so Dee Anne and I quickly darted over to the People Mover and rode while it POURED down rain. It was one of those Floridian downpours you always experience. They pop-up out of nowhere and disappear as quickly. Well... this one took exactly 3 rides on the People Mover. It was a great time.

Oh...and if you love views, the People Mover has some of the best of Cinderella's Castle in the whole park.

There are a lot of little things that many people will ignore or skip so they can ride the big E-Ticket attractions, but going with Dee Anne has illustrated better than any guide book the beauty of the little rides. The C-Ticket attractions.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What is the name of the robotic lounge singer in Tomorrowland's Cosmic Rays restaurant?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

14 Days to Disney: The Thunder Rolls

I've stated a few times that I'm no fan of roller coasters. That was doubly true when I was a youth. Nowadays I'll at least go on rides like Expedition Everest and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. I'm nowhere near as squeamish as I once was.

That's one of the reasons I've always loved Disney... Even the coasters were coasters that I could ride. (When I first started going there was no Everest or Aerosmith). The most intense roller coaster at Disney was probably Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and for some reason that I couldn't explain then, and really can't even explain now... I loved it.

I mean... I know why I love it in a completely objective sense. It's a fun roller coaster. It's fast. It tosses you around a bit. It's got great theming (like all Disney rides, really).

I guess the thing that lets Big Thunder stand apart, if I had to put my finger on something, is that because it's Disney I had an inate trust that it wouldn't be too much for me. There's nothing sinister about Walt Disney World, and for a kid who was often scared of his own shadow (I always prefer to consider myself to have been "gentle-souled", but I was a bit of a pansy... I'll be honest) , there was something wonderful about going to a place where I KNEW that nothing would be too much for me. Nothing was designed with the intent to scare. Maybe to thrill. Maybe to exhilarate, but not terrify. Even the Tower of Terror, which is still the one ride at Disney that makes me feel vaguely icky is a ride that I've ridden and not been terrified on.

The ride that most exemplifies this feeling of thrilling safety, for me, may always be Big Thunder Mountain. Maybe even secretly it's the ride that took Disney over the top for me from being a fun place to go, but like King's Island in that it's fun, but only partially not a waste for me, to being a place where I wanted to go all of the time. A place where I could negotiate every corner.

I do love me some Big Thunder.

Plus, it is, for some odd reason the attraction I most saw myself working. No idea why.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: Name the 5 Mountains of Walt Disney World, and place them in order according to height, tallest to shortest.

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

15 Days to Disney: More Laughing at the Pain of Children

So you've probably noticed that I'm not above laughing at children. To my critics, I have a couple of things to say about that:

1) They're more then welcome to laugh at me, and let's be honest... They have a lot more material from which to harvest their mirth.

2) They're pliable. I read somewhere that a child's bones don't solidify until the hit puberty. (No...that's not a boner joke, but to those who went there... kudos). Because their bones are soft and bendy (out of the gutter I say!!) they are not easily damaged, so really the only thing that's injured are their prides.

3) If they had better balance, and if they weren't putting themselves in these precarious situations, I would have nothing to laugh at, so they have only themselves to blame.

4) Fuck you.

Why all of this preface? Because there's another thing I absolutely love to do at Disney when I need a breather.

First... you know those stupid-ass shoes the kids wear with the little wheels in the heels? I hate them. They are annoying. The kids seem to have absolutely no awareness of where they are in relation to all of the other people around them. All they care about is zipping around on those damned shoes.

Well... God has an equalizer. I've explained it to the Tofu Muchacha, and she now calls it the Hill of Doom. And that's really not bad.

So anyway... When I'm tired, and want to just chill for a minute while I'm at Epcot, I'll go to the Coca-Cola tent, grab me a Diet Coke, and go sit on this little innocuous bench over by Spaceship Earth.

The thing is... there's this slight little incline there on both sides on Spaceship Earth, and there are benches there to sit. For some reason, and I can't explain exactly why this is, because you'd think the kids with the damned shoes would be adept at navigating terrain, but I've seen more kids wipe out there than all other places combined. They come around the corner, and start to head down the hill, and I guess the grade is deceptive, because they just tumble headlong constantly.

No joke, I've seen 3 kids fall there. One of them careened into the bushes. If I had a full day at Epcot where I didn't feel the need to do everything (which is exactly what I'll have when I live down there and have my annual pass), I'd definitely just bring a picnic lunch and sit on that bench and laugh and laugh and laugh at those stupid little kids with their stupid little shoes. I know it's sadistic, but they deserve it. And their parents deserve to hear their stupid crying.

Here's the thing... Most of the things I love about Disney are very pure and nice and lovely. A few of them better serve my puckish side, and this is one of those.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: In Spaceship Earth, the character in the "Greek Play" scene is delivering lines from what play?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

16 Days to Disney: I've Seen that Face Before

I love that Disney gets celebrities to act as inhabitants of their alternate universes where their attractions reside.

Patrick Warburton, the actor who brought us David Puddy, is Patrick the Chief Flight Attendant on Soarin'

Eric Idle is Dr. Nigel Channing at Journey Into Imagination

John Michael Higgins runs the testing center on Test Track.

There are so many more too! I just love that Disney has convinced all kinds of celebrities to offer their talents to enhancing the thematic immersion of each of these attractions. Sure... they could just put us in front of a big screen and we'd be impressed by the flight simulation, but Soarin has a story.

Really, that's my point here... Disney's never just content to present the ride or attraction as it is... They always provide a story. An enhancement. And one of my favorite ways is to give us a friendly face like Rick Moranis (reprising his role of Wayne Zalinski) to usher us through the attraction and get that tiny bit more out of it.

I'm sure that Ellen's Energy Adventure would be interesting enough if we had some random person in Ellen's place, but because it's Ellen, we're enjoying it on more than one level.

They even nicely balance out the times when the celeb is playing a different character, or when they're just playing themselves. Ellen is funny because she's Ellen. Patrick Warburton is funny because hes playing a flight attendant.

Anyway, I like it! And it's Saturday and I don't much feel like writing any more today. So there.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: Who plays Dr. Grant Seeker on Dinosaur!?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

17 Days to Disney: Bugs are Scary Motherfuckers

I know I've spoken on this before, but one of the absolute highlights of any trip to the Animal Kingdom is going to see "It's Tough to be a Bug", the excellent 3-D movie housed in the Tree of Life.

I have to admit, though, that it's not my love of animated insects and 3-D film that makes it a highlight for me.

I've long been on the record as being a bit overly zestful when it comes to seeing children cry and fall down and whatnot. I think it's funny. I'm sorry if that makes me a bad person. It probably does. I'm sure that were it my kid falling down, I wouldn't laugh long or as hard.

Well... It's Tough to Be a Bug seems to be one of the most utterly terrifying experiences for a child. On the surface, it's hard to know why, exactly, but when looking at it more critically I think I can break it down for you...

1) It's dark. Children hate the dark. The setting for the attraction is the inside of a tree, and it's pretty well detailed. I know that if I had seen something like Pan's Labrynth when I was a kid, I'd be terrified I'd run into a giant frog inside the tree at some point.

2) Bugs are fucking gross and scary and at this point, A Bug's Life is 11 years old. The children don't necessarily have the direct frame of reference they may have with Wall-E or Remy the Rat (both of which could also potentially be scary.. I mean a non-speaking, garbage crushing robot, and a chef (respectively).) They haven't seen how cute and adorable that German Caterpillar is...they probably hear "German Caterpillar" and expect it to pee on them.

3) Even if they have seen the movie and are familiar with those characters, Hopper is a bad mother fucker. He's super mean. There's a point in that movie where he tries to crush the baby one's skull for god's sake. Then he pops up out of that weird hole in the stage (during the attraction, not the movie) and he's a giant 6-foot tall robot grasshopper. I think it almost made ME cry a little.

Anyway, by the time that robot pops up, those kids are fucking done. They're sobbing and screaming and pounding on the exit doors, begging for salvation.

It's HILARIOUS.

Gee... I hope I haven't built this up too much for the Tofu Muchacha. She's the one person who loves to see a kid cry more than me.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: How many triangles make up the Geodesic dome that is Spaceship Earth?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

18 Days to Disney: A Veritable Melting Pot

Remember how all of those rich friends of yours "backpacked" through Europe after they graduated college? Neither do I, but it happens in the movies all the time. Actually... come to think of it, it rarely actually happens in the movies either. They talk about doing it. They plan to do it. Then something goes terribly wrong and they don't get to go, thus commencing the life lessons.

I seem to have digressed... Ah yes...

Well Disney has a thing where you don't even have to leave the safe, friendly confines of the good ol' U S of A in order to meet and interact with people from all kinds of different countries and cultures. You just need to go to Epcot and the World Showcase!

Think of all of the cool things you can do..

Buy an authentic kimono (you can tell because the tag is in Japanese and is sold to you by an actual Japanese person) in Japan!

Hit on a hot Scandinavian chick in Norway!

Fantasize about punching a mime in France!

Enjoy some bangers and mash (whatever the fuck that is) in England!

Walk as quickly as possible through Canada!

Best of all.... get your picture taken with REAL Beefy Muchachos in May-hee-co:

I love the World Showcase! I love exclamation points!

Sure...sure...I've heard plenty of criticisms of the World Showcase as a sort of Xenophobic version of these countries where everything is flowery and bright and full of Disneyfication, but to them I say 2 things:

1) If you want to teach your children about the culture of a specific country and get more in depth than "In Morocco they eat couscous" then maybe you should take them to fucking Morocco and not Disney World.

2) Would you prefer the French people spat on you for being a dirty, plebian American? Would you prefer some Death Metal thug stabbed you in a back alley in Germany? Would you Prefer your camera was confiscated and destroyed after taking one too many pictures in China?

I didn't think so.

Disney is about entertainment, and about the positive aspects. I can't think of anything more positive than providing these cultures a venue to show like...their 5 favorite things about themselves, and I love it.

In fact, the only one that I find insulting is "The American Experience" and only because I don't think it should be there at all. I mean... isn't Disney World in general the "American Experience".

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What is vomit called at Disney World?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.

19 Days to Disney: I'm Siiiiiiingin' in the Rain

In keeping with the theme from yesterday of "getting wet", I'd like to talk today about one of the great marketing ploys ever...

Ponchos at Disney World.

Well... It's not really a marketing ploy exactly. In fact, many less capitalism-minded people out there will say that it's basically extortion, and they're probably right sort of. I'm just of the opinion that Disney is providing people the luxury of choice...

Wait... I should go back a bit...

Disney allows you to bring Umbrellas into the parks. The thing is... the weather in Florida is so unpredictable that often in the morning when you're heading for the park, there's no way to tell if it will rain or not, and let's be honest...do you really want to be carrying that umbrella all day in the sunshine of a cloudless Lake Buena Vista day? No. So you venture out without your rain gear.

Have no fear, however... Disney is generous enough to sell re-usable rain ponchos at every corner of every park. They must make millions of them.

So why is this extortion? Well... for one, these bad boys are expensive for glorified garbage bags, that's true. I believe they were 8 to 10 dollars last time I was there. Of course, the choice they give you is simple. Pay 10 bucks to stay dry, or get wet. You know...or bring that umbrella that you so inconveniently left in your hotel room. Mwah ha ha.

I, personally, think the argument against Disney here is slim. You can buy them and re-use them. They're not flimsy. You can always bring your own. Disney is simply capitalizing from the predictable laziness of the masses (including me more than once).

The best part of this though, and the reason I am blogging about it at all, is that it's a beautiful sight to behold when it rains at Disney World, because there appears a sea of yellow. It's one of those weird miracles of synergy when all of the different colors everyone wore to the park that day get overwhelmed by a veritable ocean of yellow Mickey Mouse ponchos.

It's like a school of fish. It has an odd, moist beauty about it. Also, as a completely unapologetic Disney fan, and a fan of Disney making money and staying flush with cash to provide us more entertainment in the future... I am okay with them taking advantage of a little unpredictable Florida rain on occasion. I may buy one when I'm down there just to ride Kali River Rapids. I'm serious.

And now... The Disney Trivia Question of the Day

Question: What Magic Kingdom attraction was the first to be run by computer?

If you think you know, please send an e-mail to blog@beefymuchacho.com

Everyone with the correct answer will receive a point. An incorrect answer gets 1/2 a point. The person with the most points will get a Limted Edition Pin purchased during my stay.

Standings are being updated daily at http://www.beefymuchacho.com/ on the "Contests" page.

I'll repost the questions with the answers at the end of the contest.